Anniversary 2009
by d.honey
Summary: 3/35. Short individual pieces written for the anniversary challenge of LJ's usako mamoru community.  Genres & ratings will vary
1. The Benefits of Age

"turning twenty is not only a responsibility"

* * *

Title: The Benefits of Age  
Theme: Holidays_Friends (1b), usako_mamoru, 2009 anniversary challenge  
Genre: Humor, Friendship  
Rating: R

* * *

Usagi handed the camera back to the girl with a wave and a wistful smile, watching as the girl and her friends wandered away to find a different background.

She fidgeted next to Mamoru, standing on her toes to better see the girls walking away.

"They're so beautiful," Usagi breathed to herself. Dressed in ornately colorful kimonos, their hair piled onto their heads with delicately carved combs and fresh flowers, and their make-up perfectly done, the girls were indeed beautiful.

Noboru tugged on one of Usagi's ponytails. "You'll get to celebrate next year, Usagi, with all the girls, and we'll be the ones taking ridiculous amounts of pictures of all of you looking beautiful. Though what you're going to do with all this hair is beyond me."

Usagi stopped trying to look over the crowd that had assembled for Coming of Age Day in the park.

Zared stepped in to put an arm around her. "Next year, you'll be the one listening to the speeches of how turning twenty is not only a responsibility but a blah, blah blah, blah blah."

Usagi laughed, pushing him lightly. Jiro looked reprovingly at Zared. "You jest, but today is an important day, and it will be for you next year, Usagi," he said, looking at her gravely.

Usagi turned somber instantly.

Jiro grinned. "'Cause when you turn twenty, you get to drink, smoke, and," he nudged Mamoru, "get married!"

Usagi's good humor returned full-force with a blush that made her look down at the ground.

"Jiro!" Mamoru said appalled.

Jiro held up his hands defensively. "I'm just saying" though he didn't look apologetic in the least.

"That's the most applicable one though," Noboru mused. At Mamoru's glare, Noboru hastily added, "Since she doesn't drink or smoke, I mean!"

Usagi had still not looked anyone in the eye and was pulling back from Mamoru's embrace, so Noboru continued to ramble. "You'll also get to be tried as an adult!"

Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow, as even Usagi looked questioningly at Noboru.

"Not- not that you'll do anything," Noboru stammered. "But just so you don't, you know, forget-"

"Forget not to commit treason or kill anyone?" Usagi teased.

"I don't think capital punishment is what we're really focusing on here, Noboru," Kiyoshi said drily. "We were thinking more of pretty dresses and pretty hair."

"Right," Noboru recovered, quickly casting about in his head what else twenty-year olds were able to do. "We'll be able to take you to the tracks next year then!"

As Jiro eagerly nodded his head – he had a penchant for gambling – Zared added, "And then you'll be able to have sex!"

There was a long uncomfortable pause. Zared had been distracted by something else when he's spoken and only turned back to face the group when he realized a silence stretching on.

"Well, I didn't mean at the tracks! I just meant, when you're twenty-"

"We know," Kiyoshi interrupted, his face still marred by a frown. Whatever he had been about to say was halted, however, by Mamoru murmuring, "She's already legal."

Another moment of non-talking floated by. Usagi found herself hiding behind Mamoru's frame, muttering to herself disbelievingly about how he had managed to get into Harvard. Mamoru realized he'd spoken aloud and was now willing himself to be anywhere but there.

Jiro looked liked he was trying to hold back laughter and a very dirty comment. This time, both Kiyoshi's eyebrows were rising in arches. Zared couldn't decide if he was impressed, surprised, or proud.

Noboru, however, was lost in thought. "Isn't the national age requirement thirteen?"

The implication of what he'd said only occurred mere seconds before Mamoru punched him in the arm.

* * *

end

Notes:

Seijin no Hi is Coming of Age Day celebrated by twenty-year-olds on the second Monday of January.

Thirteen is the national age requirement for consensual sex, but prefecture law overrides that &, from what I've found, is normally 18.


	2. Preaching & Practicing

"Do as I say, not as I do"

* * *

Title: Preaching & Practicing  
Theme: New Year's Eve_Toast (4b), usako_mamoru, 2009 anniversary challenge  
Genre: Humor  
Rating PG13

* * *

Mamoru laid a hand on Usagi's back, his own eyes squinting against the tiny bits of sunshine that had made their way into his room. He had no idea what time it was, but he did know they'd stayed at the New Year's Eve party for longer than his memory was allowing him to remember.

Groggily, he tried to say her name. Nothing came out but a slight rasping sound. He cleared his throat and tried again.

She stirred ever so slightly, groaning in the process.

"Drink some water, Usagi."

Without opening her eyes, indeed she squeezed them shut even tighter, she sat up and held her hand out. Mamoru put the glass in her hand and watched her swallow everything. When she was done, she held the empty glass out to him and flopped down into the pillows when he took it.

"How do you feel?"

"Uuugh…"

Mamoru patted her head gently.

"I'm going to try to eat; do you want anything?"

"Mmmuuugh…"

"Okay, then. I'll be back."

After drinking two glasses of water, Mamoru came back with two pieces of toast in his hand.

Usagi lay on her back, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes and temple.

Speaking lowly, Mamoru said, "Eating might help, Usa."

Usagi squinted her eyes open. Mamoru offered the food to her. As soon as it got close enough for her to smell, Usagi wrinkled her nose. When the scent became stronger, she groaned loudly.

She jumped up and ran to the bathroom on wobbly legs, using her arms to push off the walls that kept bumping into her.

Following her far more slowly, Mamoru knocked on the closed door and repeated her name, until he finally understood her groggy and muffled, "Let me throw up in peace."

Mamoru slid down the door, content to wait for her. "I told you not to let Jiro make your drinks."

He took a delicate bite of the bread, closing his eyes and pausing with a grimace when he felt his stomach turn just a bit.

He probably could have followed his own advice a little more closely.

* * *

end 


	3. The Best of Both Worlds

"I suppose I was hoping for something a bit… different"

* * *

Title: The Best of Both Worlds  
Theme: Valentine's Day_Pink (3f), usako_mamoru, 2009 anniversary challenge  
Genre: General  
Rating: PG13

* * *

Usagi's face twisted into a forced smile. "Thank-you, Mamo-chan," she said, giving him an obligatory kiss on the cheek.

Surprised by the lukewarm response, Mamoru had to ask: "You don't like it? Minako helped pick it out."

That only made Usagi grimace even more.

She fingered the lacy, pink lingerie, tracing over the delicate scalloped edges. "I suppose I was hoping for something a bit… different," she admitted.

"Oh. Well." Mamoru scratched his head. "You can return it if you want, but I think you can only get store credit."

"Are you sure?" Usagi asked hesitatingly, peering closely into his eyes.

Mamoru shrugged. "I want you to like your present, Usako – if you want to exchange it, exchange it."

Usagi lunged towards him, tumbling them back onto the bed – this was the ultimate ending Mamoru had been looking for after all.

* * *

The next weekend, Mamoru waited patiently while Usagi fussed in the bathroom. When she emerged, he somehow managed to do a double take even though he was looking directly at her.

In exchange for her original Valentine's Day gift, Usagi had chosen a black lacy one-piece. The bottom end mimicked a pair of shorts that barely covered what was necessary, while the top part began like a simple camisole's spaghetti straps, but whose neckline plunged all the way down to her bellybutton.

She'd let her blonde hair down and it fluttered away, accentuating the dark piece. Smoky eyes and red lipstick looked back at Mamoru's surprise.

"Do you like it?" she asked sultrily. Mamoru knew her well enough to detect a slight nervousness underneath.

He nodded. "You look completely different."

Satisfied, Usagi nodded. "That was the point," and she crawled into Mamoru's lap, cupping his face for a long, hard kiss before he could think anymore of what she'd said.

Later, while they lay side-by-side, with Mamoru stroking Usagi's back, he couldn't help but ask, "Why did you want to look completely different?"

Usagi shrugged, making it a point to not turn her head and look at him.

"Usako?"

"Why did you and Minako decide to get me pink?" she retorted.

Mamoru laughed. "That's like asking if the sky is blue."

Usagi sat up, angered. "Exactly!"

"Usako!" Mamoru was not startled and worried.

"I'm not a little girl, Mamo-chan! I'm a, a woman and women don't wear pink lingerie!" Usagi insisted as she blushed.

"Why not?" Mamoru asked bewildered.

"Because they wear black, because it's sexy and mature and, and pink is for little girls!" Usagi spluttered.

Mamoru sat up and waited until Usagi had calmed enough to sit down next to him again, which she did, eventually and huffily.

"Usako." She turned to him without really wanting to. "I think you're incredibly sexy and mature. I wouldn't do half the things I do with you if I didn't." A small smile escaped momentarily. "It has nothing to do with what color you wear – we just know that you like- used to like pink," he amended. "I don't care what color lingerie you wear. I don't care if you wear lingerie at all."

Usagi relaxed visibly. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she said lightly, hoping to return to the night's earlier mood.

Mamoru pulled her down cuddling with her. Later, he mumbled one last sleepy assurance. "It doesn't matter what color you wear, Usagi. You are who you are, and I love you."

* * *

Mamoru was only partially surprised when the original outfit he had picked with Minako made an appearance a month or so later.

He smiled to himself. Now, he had the best of both worlds.

* * *

end


End file.
